• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2019

The force-deformation behavior, strain distribution and failure modes of a variable damping self-centering brace (VD-SCB) are theoretically analyzed, experimentally studied, and numerically simulated to guide its design. The working principle of the brace is explained by describing the working stages and the key feature points of the hysteretic curve. A large-scale brace specimen was tested under different sinusoidal excitations to analyze the recentering capability and energy dissipation. Results demonstrate that the VD-SCB exhibits a full quasi-flag-shaped hysteretic response, high ultimate bearing capacity, low activation force and residual deformation, and excellent recentering and energy dissipation capabilities. Calculation equations of the strain distribution in different parts of the brace are proposed and are compared with the experimental data and simulated results. The developments of two failure modes are compared. Under normal circumstances, the brace fails due to the yielding of the spring blocking plates, which are easily replaced to restore the normal operating conditions of the brace. A brief description of the design procedure of the brace is proposed for application.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.361-372
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• 2019

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the research and development of high-strength steel plates, with particular emphasis on the enhancement of the seismic resistance of buildings and bridges. Many efforts have also been undertaken to improve the properties of high-strength bolts and weld materials. However, there are still different opinions on steel joints that combine high-strength bolts and fillet welds. Therefore, it is necessary to verify the design specifications and guidelines, especially for newly developed 1,400-MPa high-strength bolts, 570-MPa steel plates, and weld materials. This paper presents the results of literature reviews and experimental investigations. Test parameters include bolt strengths, weld orientations, and their combinations. The results show that advances in steel materials have increased the plastic deformation capacities of steel welds. That allows combination joints to gain their maximum strength before the welds have fracture failures. When in combination with longitudinal welds, high-strength bolts slip, come in contact with cover plates, and develop greater bearing strength before the joints reach their maximum strength. However, in the case of combinations with transverse welds, changes in crack angles cause the welds to provide additional strength. The combination joints can therefore develop strength greater than estimated by adding the strength of bolted joints in proportion to those of welded joints. Consequently, using the slip resistance as the available strength of high-strength bolts is recommended. That ensures a margin of safety in the strength design of combination joints.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.153-160
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• 2021

The connection of the steel structure serves to transmit external forces to the main components. The same is true for the behavior of modular systems composed mainly of steel or composite members. In this study, the joint performance of the composite and steel modules proposed was evaluated. The analytical models of the two joint types were constructed and were subjected to cyclic loading to assess the safety and the energy dissipation capacity of the joint types. The analysis results of the joints showed that the joints of the modular systems remain stable when the joint rotation reached the seismic performance limit state of the 0.02 rad required for steel intermediate moment frame. It was also observed that the joint of the composite modular system showed higher energy dissipation capacity compared with the steel modular system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.5
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• pp.663-674
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• 2020

In this study, partially restrained beam-column moment joints in the weak-axis direction were examined using three large-scale specimens subject to cyclic loading in order to assess the seismic resistance of the joints of low-rise steel structures and to propose joint details based on the test results. The influence of different number of bolts on the moment joints was thoroughly investigated. It was found that the flexural capacity of the joints in the direction of weak axis was highly dependent on the number of high-tension bolts. In addition, even though the flexural connections subjected to cyclic loading was perfectly designed in accordance with current design codes, severe failure mode such as block shear failure could occur at beam flange. Therefore, to prevent excessive deformation at bolt holes under cyclic loading conditions, the holes in beam flange need to have larger bearing capacity than the required tensile force. In particular, if the thickness of the connecting plate is larger than that of the beam flange, the bearing capacity of the flange should be checked for structural safety.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2022

In order to evaluate the earthquake safety of equipment in structures, it is essential to analyze the In-Structure Response Spectrum (ISRS). The ISRS has a peak value at the frequency corresponding to the structural vibration mode, but the frequency and amplitude at the peak can vary because of many uncertain parameters. There are several seismic design criteria for ISRS peak-broadening for fixed base structures. However, there are no suggested criteria for constructing the design ISRS of seismically isolated structures. The ISRS of isolated structures may change due to the major uncertainty parameter of the isolator, which is the shear stiffness of the isolator and the several uncertainty parameters caused by the nonlinear behavior of isolators. This study evaluated the effects on the ISRS due to the initial stiffness of the bi-linear curve of isolators and the variation of effective stiffness by the input ground motion intensity and intense motion duration. Analyzing a simplified structural model for isolated base structure confirmed that the ISRS at the frequency of structural mode was amplified and shifted. It was found that the uncertainty of the initial stiffness of isolators significantly affects the shape of ISRS. The variation caused by the intensity and duration of input ground motions was also evaluated. These results suggested several considerations for generating ISRS for seismically isolated structures.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.503-515
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• 2022

Global or partial damage to a structure due to the failure of gravity or lateral load-bearing elements is called progressive collapse. In the present study, the alternate load path (ALP) method introduced by GSA and UFC 4-023-03 guidelines is used to evaluate the progressive collapse in special steel moment-resisting frame (SMRF) buildings. It was assumed that the progressive collapse is due to the earthquake force and its effects after the removal of the elements still remain on the structures. Therefore, nonlinear dynamic time history analysis employing 7 earthquake records is used to investigate this phenomenon. Internal and external column removal scenarios are investigated and the stiffness of the connections is changed from semi-rigid to rigid. The results of the analysis performed in the OpenSees program show that the loss of the bearing capacity of an exterior column due to a seismic event and the occurrence of progressive collapse can increase the inter-story drift of the structure with semi-rigid connections by more than 50% and make the structure unable to satisfy the life safety performance level. Furthermore, connection stiffness severely affects the redistribution of forces and moments in the adjacent elements of the removed column.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.5
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• pp.487-498
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• 2023

Unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings are extensively adopted in many of the growing nations, particularly in India. Window or door openings are required for architectural or functional reasons, which pose a threat to the building's safety. The past earthquakes have shown that the seismic capability of these structures was very weak. Strengthening these unreinforced masonry walls using welded wire mesh (WWM) is one of the most commonly and economical methods. The present experimental study investigates the impact of openings on the shear behaviour of URM walls and the effectiveness of WWM in enhancing the shear performance of masonry wall. In the experimental program 16 specimens were cast, 8 unstrengthen and 8 strengthened specimens, under 8 unstrengthen and strengthened specimens, every 2 specimens had 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% openings and all these walls were tested under diagonal compression. The results show that the shear carrying capacity reduces as the opening percentage increases. However, strengthening the URM specimens using WWM significantly improves the peak load, shear strength, ductility, stiffness, and energy dissipation. Furthermore, the strengthening of the URM walls using WWM compensated the loss of wall capacity caused by the presence of the openings.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.59-74
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• 2022

This study introduces a general reliability-based, performance-based design framework to design frames regarding their uncertainties and user-defined design goals. The Iterative-R method extracted from the main framework can designate a proper R (i.e., response modification factor) satisfying the design goal regarding target reliability index and pre-defined probability of collapse. The proposed methodology is based on FEMA P-695 and can be used for all systems that FEMA P-695 applies. To exemplify the method, multiple three-dimensional, four-story steel special moment-resisting frames are considered. Closed-form relationships are fitted between frames' responses and the modeling parameters. Those fits are used to construct limit state functions to apply reliability analysis methods for design safety assessment and the selection of proper R. The frameworks' unique feature is to consider arbitrarily defined probability density functions of frames' modeling parameters with an insignificant analysis burden. This characteristic enables the alteration in those parameters' distributions to meet the design goal. Furthermore, with sensitivity analysis, the most impactful parameters are identifiable for possible improvements to meet the design goal. In the studied examples, it is revealed that a proper R for frames with different levels of uncertainties could be significantly different from suggested values in design codes, alarming the importance of considering the stochastic behavior of elements' nonlinear behavior.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.657-669
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• 2022

Structural materials can experience large plastic deformation under extreme cyclic loading that is caused by events like earthquakes. To evaluate the seismic safety of a structure, accurate numerical material models should be used. For a steel structure, the cyclic strain hardening behavior of structural steel should be correctly modeled. In this study, a combined hardening model, consisting of one isotropic hardening model and three nonlinear kinematic hardening models, was used. To determine the values of the combined hardening model parameters efficiently and accurately, the improved opposition-based particle swarm optimization (iOPSO) model was adopted. Low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted for three steel grades commonly used in Korea and their modeling parameters were determined using iOPSO, which was first developed in Korea. To avoid expensive and complex low cycle fatigue (LCF) tests for determining the combined hardening model parameter values for structural steel, empirical equations were proposed for each of the combined hardening model parameters based on the LCF test data of 21 steel grades collected from this study. In these equations, only the properties obtained from the monotonic tensile tests are required as input variables.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.283-291
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• 2023

Unlike other facilities, maintaining processes is essential in industrial facilities. Pipe racks, which support pipes of various diameters, are important structures used in industrial facilities. Since the transport process of pipes directly affects the operation of industrial facilities, a fragility curve should be derived based on considering not only the pipe racks' structural safety but also the pipes' transport process. There are several studies where the fragility curves have been determined based on the structural behavior of pipe racks. However, few studies consider the damage criteria of pipes to ensure the transportation process, such as local buckling and tensile failure with surface defects. In this study, an analysis model of a typical straight pipe rack used in domestic industrial facilities is constructed, and incremental dynamic analysis using nonlinear response history analysis is performed to estimate the parameters of the fragility curve by the maximum likelihood estimation. In addition, the pipe rack's structural behavior and the pipe's damage criteria are considered the limit state for the fragility curve. The limit states considered in this paper to evaluate fragility curves are more reasonable to ensure the transportation process of the pipe systems.